Free Aliens In The Family by Margaret Mahy Page A

trying to make Jake feel at home," answered Dora virtuously. Lewis just studied the floor, silently and gravely.
    "We've been making plans," Dora continued, throwing Jake a look of great significance. "You know how we thought we wouldn't be able to go on the pony trek... well, we've changed our minds..." Both David and Philippa looked up sharply at this announcement, and stared at the children with considerable suspicion. No wonder, thought Jake, Dora overdoes everything! ". . . and we'd like to take a friend of Jakes's, too." Dora carried on as though she was totally unaware of the suspicious looks she was being given. "He used to live near Jake but he shifted to the city last term—to this city, I mean. We rang him up and sort of asked him. I thought it would be O.K." Philippa opened her mouth to speak, but Dora rushed in anxiously, "We're supposed to be making Jake happy. You said we had to."
    David had picked up the evening paper. Now he put it down again. He had startlingly blue eyes, exactly the same colour and shape as his daughter's. "I'm being manipulated," he moaned. "I just know it. It hasn't happened for a while, but I remember the feeling distinctly. We've all suddenly turned into one big, happy family, have we?"
    "Isn't that what you wanted? You should be pleased!"
    "I'm delighted—but I would like to know which magic spell you used to achieve this so suddenly. And who is this friend? Will he pay for himself, or do I have to pay for him? And how is it that Jake hasn't mentioned him till now? These are deep waters, Dora."
    "I only just remembered that it was this city that he moved to," mumbled Jake. "It's O.K. though. He's a nice guy."
    "It was like doing a jigsaw puzzle," added Lewis, cryptically. "You try something in lots of different places and suddenly it fits in."
    "Like Jake has suddenly fitted in—and like the trek has suddenly fitted in too?" asked David.
    "You said you wanted to go on it. It was your idea, David," pleaded Dora. "You did say we could."
    Philippa glanced at the three anxious faces. "Well," she said. "I don't see why not. It's a bit late to ring Rackham Rides but I'm a good enough friend to get away with it. Mind you, they're probably booked up." She went out to the telephone. Jake saw Dora cross her fingers and reflected, with a sinking heart, that except for one thing that no-one else knew about the trek was a very good idea. However because Dora had already proved capable of conquering the dark which frightened her, Jake knew that she had to go along with the idea and do her best. She wondered what would happen if they left Bond out by Webster's Valley and conversely, what would happen if they had to bring him back home again. He couldn't carry on living in the garage. Suddenly life seemed very complicated, as if they were all running with no place to run to. Still, they would do what they could. She believed Bond was almost telling the truth, and was confident that sooner or later they would find out what it was that he was holding back.

Nine - Bond Unbound
    Out in the garage, Bond waited patiently until the reflections on the car windows showed he was alone. He cautiously sat up and let himself out of the car. He did not turn the light on but simply stood quietly in the dark, the Companion hanging at his side.
    Bond began to glimmer slightly and then to glow in the dark. He became the core of a dim blue shine that painted other objects with a blue hue. The green car appeared a bright turquoise colour of a low gas flame as if it was the source of aluminium extension ladder shone with the colour of a low gas flame as if it was the source of the light rather than a reflection of it. The same soft light illuminated the squat shapes of paint tins, David's tools hung on a pegboard, and the blades of the push-mower, complicated with their own shadows. Bond stepped lightly onto the bumper of the green car then scrambled up to stand on the bonnet. He unscrewed the light bulb and placed it